The invention relates generally to the treatment of spinal conditions, and more particularly, to the treatment of spinal conditions using an implant configured for insertion into an interspinous space. The implant is adjustable between a closed orientation with a reduced size to facilitate insertion into the patient and a deployed orientation with an enlarged size to maintain the position within the patient.
A significant portion of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lives resulting from a spinal condition. The pain may range from general discomfort to disabling pain that immobilizes the individual. Back pain may result from a trauma to the spine, be caused by the natural aging process, or may be the result of a degenerative disease or condition.
Procedures to remedy back problems sometimes require correcting the distance between vertebral members by inserting an interspinous device (e.g., spacer) between spinous processes. In some instances, implants are positioned between the spinous processes of the L5 and S1 vertebral members. However, current implants often cannot be used in this space because of the huge variations in the sacral anatomy and the lack of an S1 spinous process in about 70% of the population.
Further, insertion of an interspinous implant often requires extensive surgical techniques. These implants often require an open technique to be implanted, and many require destroying important anatomical stabilizers, such as the supraspinous ligament. In particular, some techniques for placing such implants is to cut the interspinous and supraspinous ligaments and slide the device over the adjacent spinous processes.
Therefore, there is a need for an implant that can be positioned in the interspinous space, and also can be implanted in a less intrusive manner.